This invention relates to a heated tray or enclosure for containing and drying articles of clothing. The designs of contemporary homes do not provide a convenient place or method for drying articles of clothing, shoes, or boots which have become wet and soiled through outdoor use. The entryway of most homes is unheated, and the area adjacent the floor is so cool as to provide virtually no warm airflow to dry these damp articles of clothing. Further, the problem of articles of clothing or shoes which are dripping wet or soiled poses a dilemma to the householder as to where to place these articles so that the soil and water does not stain or discolor the surface on which they are placed.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device for drying wet articles of clothing in an energy-efficient manner. It is a further object to provide a safe and convenient appliance for drying wet articles of clothing. A still further object is to provide a low heat output device which slowly dries wet clothing articles.
One embodiment of the invention is to a device for drying clothing articles comprising a planar drying surface, a plurality of heating elements positioned adjacent to and under said planar surface, a means for controlling the energy output of said plurality of heating elements.
Another embodiment of the invention is the drying device detachably fixed within a wall of a building comprising: an enclosure attached to said wall surrounding an opening in said wall to form a passage into the interior of said enclosure, a water permeable planar drying surface positioned in the bottom of the enclosure, a means for heating air positioned within said enclosure, and a means for circulating air through the enclosure.
Still another embodiment is an apparatus for drying clothing articles comprising: a hollow plenum having a first air opening and a second air opening, a permeable, rigid, grill positioned over said first air opening, and a means for generating an air current through said grill positions within said plenum adjacent to said second air opening.